@paulschrum: "I understand that Sunnis pray five times a day because it was
proscribed to be five during the miraj according to the Sunnah.  My
question, then, is why do Shia's pray three times per day?  Do they
have a different account of the miraj in differing ahadith, or some
other reason?
Thank you in advance to all who respond.
- Paul
Schrum"
    @kevans: "<quote>
I think you are a bit confused. Shia Muslims, like Sunni Muslims, 
consider that there are FIVE daily prayers. However, in the case of both 
communities, it is sometimes permissible to combine the Zuhr (noon) 
prayer with the Asr (mid-afternoon) prayer and the Maghrib (sunset) 
prayer with the Isha (evening) prayer.
For Sunni Muslims, such combination of prayers is allowed only as a 
matter of necessity; it is not a general option. 
For Shia Muslims, more latitude is allowed and for some shia it is 
customary to regularly combine prayers. They based their practice on 
their interpretation of the following hadiths:
"Ibn Abbas narrates that the Messenger of Allah recited the Zuhr and Asr 
prayers together, and also said the Maghrib and Isha prayers,� although 
he was neither in a state of fear, nor was there any other cause, e.g. 
rain. It is related from Waki that he asked Ibn Abbas the reason (for 
the joint prayers). Ibn Abbas replied: So that the followers (of the 
Prophet) may not experience inconvenience and difficulty."
    Saheeh Muslim, Vol. I, p.265
    Jami Tirmizee, p. 54
Source: <url> 
However, it must be noted that even when prayers are combined, they are 
still said independently and in full. In other words, even if only three 
discrete SESSIONS of pray are observed, the actual number of prayer 
rituals is still FIVE for both Shia and Sunni Muslims.
Peace to all who seek God's face.
Abdelkarim Benoit Evans"
    @ahlulbayt786: "salaam,
also see:
Book 004, Number 1520:
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) 
combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer 
with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or 
rainfall. And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are):" I 
said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his 
(Prophet's) Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship." And in 
the hadith transmitted by Mu'awiya (the words are):" It was said to Ibn 
'Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah 
should not be put to unnecessary hardship."
<url>
See chapter 1 at <url>
and chapter 13 at <url>
Abu Muhammad"
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